Staffordshire Masonic Golf SocietyEnjoyable golf, at good venues, in great company - and some fundraising too!

There are currently eight events in our May to September calendar, which are;
Four friendly matches against five of our near neighbour Provinces – Derbyshire & Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire,
Three events for our own Province - The Spring Trophy, which is linked to the Provincial Wardens’ team event in May, the Valon Cup and Denne Shield event played in and around Stafford in early September and the prestigious Provincial Grand Master's Trophy event, which concludes our season in late September,
The annual Six Counties competition in July, which is organised in turn by Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Yorkshire.

A review of 2015
We retained the trophies in the matches with Worcestershire at Kings Norton GC on 6th May (6 v 3) and Nottinghamshire at Leek GC on 17th June (4 v 2). Warwickshire retained the trophy, as holders, following our drawn match with them at Walsall GC on 8th July (3 v 3).
In the annual Six Counties event, hosted by Nottinghamshire at Ruddington Grange GC on 23rd July, we came out victorious. Our only other win came way back in 1996, so the scoring players Mark Ashton, Mark Mellor, Bev Nicholls, Mike Smith, Kevin Spencer and Bill Wood plus the rest of the team of twelve were understandably delighted. Our 195 points on a tough track was one better than Warwickshire and ten better than Leicestershire & West Yorkshire in joint third.
The Provincial Wardens’ Trophy was won by the team representing the SGW and the combined event at Shifnal GC on 20th May saw the Spring Trophy won by Bev Nicholls (36 points) with a better back nine from Mark Ashton (36 points), Peter White (34 points) came third with a better back nine
from Tony Liddiard (34 points).
At our season ending PGM’s Trophy, held at South Staffs GC on 23rd September the victor was Steve Thompson (37 points) followed by John Walley (34 points) and Rolph Jennings (33 points) with a better back nine from John Derry (33 points).

What we did in 2014
We came out victors against Nottinghamshire away at Wollaton GC (4½ v 1½) and Worcestershire at Bloxwich GC (4 v 2) then runners-up to Warwickshire away at Leamington & County GC (1½ v 4½).

It was our turn to host the Six Counties, which we did at Brocton Hall GC near Stafford, coming a creditable second with 205 Stableford points from our six counting players to Derbyshire who scored 216 points.

Congratulations go to Paul Bradshaw (38 points) and Alan Gallimore (35 points) as the winner and runner-up at the Spring Trophy at Leek GC and
to Brian Cockersole (39 points) and Mike Rawle (35 points) as winner and runner-up for the PGM's Trophy at South Staffs GC.

We have a hardworking Committee, and particularly thank our stalwarts Malcolm Phillips, Dave Hadler and Ray Haynes, for enabling us enjoy our Masonic golf in all its facets – competition on the course, good food and drink together in the clubhouse afterwards - as we discuss what was, or might have been!
Here's to our next happy golfing meetings!